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Youth & the Arts

Dinner & a Show
The Philadelphia Museum of Art—an Adventure that Spans Seas & Time
By Katie Jillions & Juliet Piccone

Every child dreams of traveling the world and through time. Most parents believe that children can’t go globetrotting and that time travel just isn’t possible. Both of those statements are false.

This month, we traveled the world and through time, all within two hours. Passports were not required and no molecules were rearranged, we simply walked through the doors of the Philadelphia Museum of Art. On the ground floor you will find contemporary prints, drawings, photographs, and special exhibitions. Our journey began here in current time with the gallery dedicated to Philadelphia modern artist Thomas Chimes. The exhibit featured a wide variety of pieces, including his “white paintings,” metal boxes and panel portraits; we found all of them interesting, especially his rendition of the famous Mona Lisa titled “Mona.” However, the sexual elements in some of his pieces were awkward for us as teens.

We were both apprehensive about entering the contemporary art galleries at first because we don’t really understand how much of it, like neon signs and groupings of books, can be described as art. We both felt differently after leaving the collection. The Contemporary Art Exhibit was different, yes, but it was neat. There really is no way to describe this form of artwork— its abstract forms evoke different meaning in each person.

The second story bridges the gap of the Atlantic Ocean between the United States and Europe. The collection of American artwork took us back in time to view portraits of prominent Americans in history such as historical classics like Washington Crossing the Delaware. It moved us to stand before paintings by masters like Degas, Monet, and Manet who we have studied in school.  Each piece of art tells a story. Whether it’s the myth of Prometheus and his punishment for bringing fire to the humans or the many visual presentations of bible stories, the art communicates the stories and meaning of our culture. 

The second floor continues our travel through Europe and Asia. Entire rooms on this floor have been transformed with pieces of architecture collected from their original locations. We walked through several decorative English drawing rooms from centuries past, utilitarian European kitchens, cheerful cloisters, and dimly lit Asian temples. Each of these rooms takes you across the seas and centuries to a new home. Every room has a different doorway taken directly from a historical building, so crouch down as you pass through these entrance ways to each new world.

If you turn down the correct halls, your time machine leaves you amidst a collection of medieval armor. Armor for brave knights, young lads, and even noble steeds can be found here. My brother and three of his friends spent hours in this section of the museum when they were in the fifth grade, imagining King Arthur, Sir Galahad and one of their favorite movies A Knight’s Tale. They even made up stories of how the holes in the armor came about and imagined what weapon could have caused that hole.

The Philadelphia Museum of Art is incredible. Even the most energetic kids can bring a pencil and paper and sit for hours drawing what they see in the museum. The museum also offers many opportunities for children to get involved. They offer tours, scavenger hunts, coloring and drawing sessions, and summer internships for the older kids. During our visit, we encountered one of the Museum’s educators animatedly relating the mythical story depicted in a painting to his teenage pupil, her attention fixed on him more raptly than if she were watching her favorite action movie. The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10a.m. until 5p.m. and Friday evenings until 8:45.

While in Philadelphia….

To continue our artful adventure we decided to eat at Rembrandt’s, a restaurant and pub in the Art Museum District. Rembrandt’s, at 23rd and Aspen Streets, is an old fashioned tavern with an antique oak bar, pressed tin ceiling and a neighborhood crowd. The art theme in the restaurant is expressed in art décor: the signs labeling the restrooms were painter’s pallets and on the walls hung a variety of paintings. We were seated right away and the atmosphere was cozy, warm and welcoming. We sat in the bar section, which is very casual amid the clinking of glasses and buzz of animated conversations, but there is a more formal restaurant section too. The menu is simple yet diverse; they have burgers, soups, salads, home made pizzas, and other small dishes. We ordered appetizers—pizza, fried calamari, and mussels, the portions were huge and quite delectable with authentic European flavorings and sauces. Everything on the bar menu is less than $20; most are less than $10 a dish. To learn more, visit www.rembrandts.com

Juliet Piccone is a Junior at Moorestown High School and Katie Jillions is a junior at Holy Cross High School.